Suari

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Suari were ancient race mentioned by Pliny and Megasthenes.

Variants

• Suari (Pliny.vi.22), (Pliny.vi.25)

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Soora = Suari (Pliny.vi.22), (Pliny.vi.25)
• Sheoran = Suari (Pliny.vi.22), (Pliny.vi.25)

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions 'The Ganges.'....Behind these people, and lying still more in the interior, are the Monedes, and the Suari,¹⁷ among whom is a mountain known as Maleus, upon which the shadow falls to the north in winter, and to the south in summer, six months alternately. In this district the Constellation of the Greater Bear¹⁸ is seen at only one period in the year, and then but for fifteen days, according to what Bæton states. Megasthenes, however, informs us that the same is the case also in many other localities of India. The South Pole is by the Indians called Diamasa.

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17 Hardouin is of opinion that these nations dwelt in the localities occupied by the districts of Gwalior and Agra.

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions The Ariani and the adjoining Nations..... the towns of Pucolis, Lyphorta, the desert of the Methorgi²⁵, the river Manais²⁶, the nation of the Acutri, the river Eorum, the nation of the Orbi, the Pomanus, a navigable river in the territories of the Pandares, the Apirus in the country of the Suari, with a good harbour at its mouth, the city of Condigramma, and the river Cophes²⁷; into which last flow the navigable streams of the Saddaros²⁸, the Parospus, and the Sodanus.

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25 Parisot says that this is the desert region now known as Eremaier, to the east of Mount Maugracot.

26 As Parisot remarks, our author is now approaching the sea-shore; these places, however, do not appear to have been identified.

27 Not the same as the river Cophen or Cophes mentioned in c. 24, the modern Kabul. Hardouin takes it to be the same as the Arbis or Arabius of Ptolemy, the modern Hilmend or Ilmend.

28 Parisot seems to think that the modern names of these rivers are the Sal, the Ghir, and the Ilmentel, which, according to him, flow into the Ilmend.

Jat clans mentioned by Megasthenes

Megasthenes also described India's caste system and a number of clans out of these some have been identified with Jat clans by the Jat historians. Megasthenes has mentioned a large number of Jat clans. It seems that the Greeks added 'i' to names which had an 'i' ending. Identified probable Jat clans have been provided with active link within brackets.

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Jat clans as described by Megasthenes
Location	Jat clans	Information
8. After these, but more inland	Are the Monedes (Moond) and Suari (Soora, Sheoran)	In those country is Mount Maleus; The river Jomanes flows through the Palibothri into the Ganges between the towns Methora (Mathura) and Carisobora (Krishnapura).